“But the wise shall shine brightly

   like the splendor of the firmament,

and those who lead the many to justice

   shall be like the stars forever.”

“And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’

with great power and glory,

and then he will send out the angels

and gather his elect from the four winds,

from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.”

The first reading from Daniel and the Gospel reading from Mark are both of the genre of apocalyptic literature. Without going into the full scope of the genre, both of these readings take up the transition to cosmic consummation, the final eschatological resolution of time. In other words, it is the End, where time transitions to to eternal. It is a total transformation of existence, often and only able to be spoken of poetically, through image, and metaphor, and simile. We do not know exactly what it will be like, but we know it will be different. It is a new heaven and a new earth, or a spiritual body, or life everlasting. None of these are common to us here and now. It is a new reality, one outside of space and time, eternal. It resurrection and life. It is pure beauty, goodness, truth, and love without limit, blemish, smudge, or reserve. It is perfection. 

Too often, however, when reading the apocalyptic genre, we get focused on the tribulation, evil, trials, or terror. These resonate more with our experience of life and the world, personally and globally. Of stout German stock, my mom’s common response to relaying almost daily travails of friends and loved ones while asking for my prayers is, “It’s always something.” There is always “something” in our lives or the lives of those we love that causes anxiety, frustration, heartache, pain, grief, or trial. Jesus walks with us through these trials, tangibly through the love and support of community and in worship in the Eucharist. He also gives the grace of healing, not like a magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat, but by walking the road to Calvary, embracing the cross, entering the tomb, and rising to new life. It is a hard row to hoe, but leads to the sprout, growth, grain, and harvest. As Jesus said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.”

Likewise, we see global political conflict, extremists, wars, terrorism, genocide, famine, poverty, disease, and the list could go on. There is also a fixation on potential existential threats to the human race, from nuclear war to climate change and everything in between (these include, but are not limited to, a global pandemic, species extinction, biological warfare, artificial intelligence, a cataclysmic asteroid strike, coronal mass ejections from the sun, and alien invasion). It can lead many to proclaim, like Chicken Little, with anxiety and urgency, “The sky is falling!” We, of course, should do what we can for the common good, to alleviate suffering, to work for peace and justice, and to care for our common home. We, as Christians, are leaven that causes the whole dough to rise. And, we know the truth. 

This world, as it is, is going to end. In every sense of the word, personally and globally, it is transitory. It is passing away. We are on a journey to a destination. This should not fill us with dread, but with hope! Behold, all things are new! We celebrate this truth next week: the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. He is the King of Peace! He is the King of Glory!